Numb
by FishyPrincess
Summary: Dib has big plans for his future. But will his father's expectations of him restrain Dib from what he wants to do with his life? Songfic to "Numb" by Linkin Park. One-shot.


**A/N: Hey, again. I decided to write another one-shotsongfic. This time it is to Linkin Park's "Numb." One time, when I had this song in my head, I was like, "Hey! I can make a fanfic out of this!" I know there's been a few "Dib and his father don't get along very well" fanfics lately, but I wanted to try. Also, I will update "Bang Bang." I'm working on the ninth chapter, thanks to some inspiration from a friend. **

**Oh, yeah, and I'm not sure whether or not Paranormal Investigation is a college major or not. If it is, yay for me. If not, well, Invader ZIM is placed in the future, so you never know what can change from now to then.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Invader ZIM, nor "Numb."**

**Enjoy!**

Dib sighed as he looked up at his house. He did not want to enter, for he knew what would come of what he was about to ask.

In his hands were papers he needed to fill out for college. The applications required his Dad's signature. The problem was: Dib knew his dad would not be pleased at what he had chosen to major in.

He stopped before he reached the door and rehearsed in his mind what he had planned to say. Dib decided to try his best to avoid his father's "Why Aren't You Interested in Real Science" speech.

**I'm tired of being what you want me to be**

**Feeling so faithless lost under the surface**

**Don't know what you're expecting of me**

**Put under the pressure of walking in your shoes**

He took a deep breath and vowed that he would not change what he wanted. _Okay, _Dib thought. _Here I go._

Dib opened the door, and saw Gaz playing video games on the couch. Her fingers rapidly pressed the buttons of her Game Slave as she focused intently on her goal. She did not raise her head at her brother's arrival; she never did.

"Where's Dad?" Dib asked his sister as he peered over her shoulder.

"How should I know?" Gaz said coldly. Then she scowled. "Stop hovering over my shoulder." Dib left and began to wander the house. He stepped inside his father's laboratory and found Professor Membrane working on some kind of robotic squirrel.

**(Caught in the undertow just caught in the undertow)**

**Every step that I take is another mistake to you**

**(Caught in the undertow just caught in the undertow)**

"Dad?" Dib said, clutching the papers in his hand.

"Yes, son?" the professor looked up.

"Uh, can…can you sign these? I need them for skool," he partially lied. Well, he _did _need them for skool. Wasn't college considered a skool?

"Sure. What exactly are they for? You didn't get detention again, did you?" His father questioned suspiciously.

"No, Dad. It's for History," Dib hoped with all his heart that his dad did not look at the big heading on the page.

"Ahh, I see…" the professor said nonchalantly. He then squinted—at least he looked like it; it was hard to tell with his opaque goggles—and asked, "Wait—why does it seem like a college application, then?"

**I've become so numb I can't feel you there**

**I've become so tired, so much more aware**

**I'm becoming this all I want to do**

**Is be more like me and be less like you**

"Whoops," Dib sweated. "Wrong papers. But since you have them, can you just sign where it says to?"

"Hold on a second, Son. College applications are a VERY crucial event in life. These very papers determine who you will be in the future," Membrane stated professionally

"Yeah, okay, just sign it." Dib replied quickly.

"I need to read through the whole thing. I told you these are very—" He paused, and then groaned as he saw Dib's major. "You're still interested in this foolishness? Paranormal studies are a waste of time! There are no aliens, ghosts, loch ness monsters, curses—"

Dib's heart sank. _Here we go, again._ "Dad, it's not foolishness! And you know I've seen aliens and that kind of stuff! You're just too busy to see the evidence. I could show it to you, I swear."

The professor shook his head. "Right. I know you want attention, and I know you want people to see you, but seriously, Son, you could achieve a lot more with real science. You can make a difference in the world like I did! The future of the Membrane Science Labs is in your hands! When I die, who will follow in my footsteps?"

**Can't you see that you're smothering me?**

**Holding too tightly, afraid to lose control**

**Cause everything that you thought I would be**

**Has fallen apart right in front of you**

Dib rolled his eyes and scoffed. "Seriously. What if I don't like science? What if I wanted to do what _I _thought was enjoyable? And this isn't about anyone noticing me. No one notices me, anyway."

"Of course people notice you! How about your little foreign friend? Zip, was it?" Membrane offered.

"Dad! I have no friends! ZIM is my mortal enemy! He's an alien trying to—"

"Yes, yes, I know. You shouldn't be telling people that different kids are aliens. That's just not nice. You're sixteen; shouldn't you have known this by now?"

"Seventeen, Dad," Dib said, sadly. "Gaz is the one who's sixteen." _Besides, you missed her birthday last week,_ Dib felt like saying. His dad had been so busy, he did not even remember Gaz's birthday. He never did.

**(Caught in the undertow just caught in the undertow)**

**Every step that I take is another mistake to you**

**(Caught in the undertow just caught in the undertow)**

**And every second I waste is more than I can take**

Why must his father be like this? Why did he expect so much out of him, when obviously he was into different things?

All of Dib's life was filled with his father being unsatisfied with who he was. Every once in awhile, the professor would lecture him about how paranormal investigation—which was, basically, Dib's life—was stupid. Membrane had always wanted Dib to be just like him. Dib had tried once before, and he found he was happier chasing ZIM and finding ghosts.

"Oh, yes, that's right," his dad said. "Well, anyway, science offers a lot more for your future. You'd be able to help your kids with their homework, and impress your friends with how smart you are."

"Help kids with homework?" Dib snapped. "Since when did you ever take the time to help Gaz and me? And people don't like you for how smart you are these days. They only care about whether or not you have a girlfriend, and whether or not you've made the football team. People like me are called 'nerds.' In case you don't know, people _avoid _nerds. Paranormal investigation is science too, in a way. Paranormal investigation and science help unlock the mysteries of the world. They go hand in hand."

"That would only apply if the paranormal happened to be real. Science is real," the professor pleaded. He looked desperate, but Dib would not fall into his trap. Dib was sure this is what he wanted to do. This is what he had ALWAYS wanted to do.

"C'mon, Dad," Dib said, thrusting the papers toward him. "Just sign it and get it over with."

Membrane was silent.

"Well, if you won't, then I'll have to sign it myself!" Dib tried to look determined so his father would get why he wanted this so much.

"That's illegal," Membrane said tiredly.

"Hey, Dad?" Gaz barged in, unaware of the frustrating conversation her father and brother were having. "Where's the soda?"

"In the refrigerator, honey," the professor answered. He turned to Dib. "Let's see what your sister has planned."

"It's not in there!" Gaz said when she returned.

"What are you going to major in for college? Dib seems to be having a hard time deciding," his father said casually.

Dib opened his mouth to protest, but he was interrupted by Gaz's response.

"I'm not going to college."

Without giving anyone a chance to retort, she left the room.

"See, Dad? Just let me do what I want to do!" Dib begged. "I don't _like_ science, okay? Chemicals BORE me. I don't care about physical and chemical properties. If I were a scientist, I would be miserable!"

His Dad sighed. "If it's what you want, I guess." He did not look happy. "Consider yourself lucky. When I was your age, I HAD to follow in my father's footsteps, and I learned to enjoy what I was doing. I even became a better scientist than he was."

_Think about what you could have been if you weren't so busy being a scientist, _Dib thought as his Dad handed him the signed papers back. Dib walked out of the lab, towards his room.

As Dib looked through the papers, he noticed that his Dad had never actually signed the applications. He ran back into his father's lab.

**And I know**

**I may end up failing too**

**But I know**

**You were just like me with someone disappointed in you**

"Why didn't you sign these?" Dib asked, confused.

Membrane massaged his head. "I…can't."

Dib clenched his teeth in irritation. "Why not?!"

"I'm not going to give you away like that! I'm not going to let you commit career suicide! What if you can't make any money?"

Dib glared. "Yeah, like we don't have a billion dollars," he commented sarcastically. "Besides, I CAN make money. I have evidence! I've spent my whole life collecting evidence! Who says I can't anymore?"

The professor scoffed. "Son…"

"I can change the world! I'll be able to bring respect back into the title of paranormal investigation. I know I can! Give me a chance! Let me go to college, and major in paranormal studies. After that, when I get a job as an investigator, I will quit if nothing improves and become a scientist," Dib compromised. Though being a scientist disgusted him, this seemed like the only way to get what he wanted.

"Deal?"

Membrane lifted his head and faced Dib. He looked around his lab, and then at Dib again. "All of this could be yours if—"

"DAD!"

"Alright," the professor said, clearly morose. "Deal."

Dib's face brightened. "Thank you."

**I've become so numb I can't feel you there**

**I'm tired of being what you want me to be**

**I've become so numb I can't feel you there**

**I'm tired of being what you want me to be**

Membrane took out a pen and signed the applications. Dib snatched them and ran up to his room happily.

Membrane sighed.

"My poor, insane son…"


End file.
